Put aside your thoughts about Smollett or any other specific case. Also put aside the issue of whether ‘hate crimes’ should be their own category of crime ... we live in a world where they are, in many jurisdictions at least.


Should hate hoaxes be considered hate crimes?

Don’t they spread fear and loathing of the targeted race, gender, or ethnic group?

False accusations are often crimes.
Consider false accusations of rape. Those cause damage to those that are telling the truth.


A stomach turning tweet:
"
Ann Coulter
✔
@AnnCoulter
Alright, this particular hate crime turned out to be a hoax, but let's remember, ALL OF THEM are hoaxes. #Smollett

8,874
10:44 AM - Feb 21, 2019"

Yeah, there’s that.

But that’s just considering colateral damage to their ingroup.

What about the fact that they are targeting some outgroup with their action?

Should that make us recognize it as a hate crime?

I think intent is important (one of the reasons why I think hate crimes are a bad idea). I can see hate hoaxes being done for a variety of reasons, both to add ammunition to someone's cause and to discredit it.

If they are identified as hoaxes, then the result is the same. But for one party (the false flag group) that is exactly what they wanted. For the person who put forth the hoax to get sympathy, it's the opposite. I think it's too much pretzel logic to claim that all hate hoaxes are hate crimes.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.